Motor-vehicle ignition and lighting system



April 5 1927. 1,623,648

K. WOLFF MOTOR VEHICLE IGNITION AND LIGHTING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 11, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Irwin/on Karl VVo/ff April 5 1927. 1,623,648

K. WOLFF MOTOR VEHICLE IGNITI'ON ANDLIGHTING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 11, 192k :5 Sheets-Sheet '2 Aprll 5 1927. K WOLFF MOTOR VEHICLE IGNITION AND LIGHTING SYSTEM Filed Jan. ll. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented A t. 5-, i921.-

UNITED STATES PATENT, ()F'FICE.

KARL WOLFE, OF IVlZU'IlTIGHI, GERMANY.

MOTOR-VEHICLE IGNITION AND LIGETING SYSTEM.

Application fi led January 11, 1922, Serial No. 523,524, and in Germany October 29, 1920.

This invention has reference to'improvements in electric, and partlcularly magnetoclectric systems for the illumination and ignition of motorvehicles, argd it is particularly adapted for operatio in connection with low priced passenger" cars, motordriven freight cars and the like and it is advantageou'sly distinguished from the previous art by its simplicity of construction and by doing away with the necessity of relays.-

:tuses, contacts, and of parts sliding upon each other, and which areusually subject to wear and destruction, and therefore require a winding of high self-induction. A machine of this kind which does not possess any slip or collector ringsor the like, so as to be par-, ticularly adapted for the operation oi motor.

vehicles and the like in view of its simplicity of construction, furnishes alternating current which may be taken off directly from a satlonary stator windlng, and reachesthe tension required for ignitlon, as

soon as the internal combustion engine is started; and does vnot require the arrangementof special fuses, automatic switch-out devices or the like, inasmuch as even :at mcreasing speeds of revolution any increase of the tension-to a degree that might become dangerous to reflector lamps is prevented in view of the high value of the self-induction. The new systeu'i is, moreover, distinguished by tlie'fact that a transformer is inserted between the-lamps and the stator winding,

said transformer furnishing the high tension required for ignition, and being provided with a plu'allt of primary coils through which the lamp conduits are passed and which take off the current directly from the stator windings. The primary coils and those parts of the stator winding from which the corresponding lamps are provided with current are connected in parallel when the reflector lamps are operated. while these parts are connected are cut out. r

The new system according to this invenin series when the lamps tion is also distinguished by the fact thatv the tension required for the operation of the lamps is furnished immediately upon the startmg of the driving-engine, so asto d1spose with the necessity of special batteries and the like. It merely possesses a switching mechanism for the cutting in and out of the lamps, and it does not require any addi- The'several features of the invention willappear from the following specification. and I claims, 1n-connect1on with the drawings forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a switching diagram with a representation of the general. arrangement of the means for the generation of the illuminating and igniting current, and alto showing the connection of the preferably "employed magneto-electric medium frequency machine with permanent magnets. Figure 1 is a diagrammatic showing ofthe connections ;in"the transformer;

The mounting of the new system in 4 Figure 2 is a plan view with parts. in sect'ion, showing the rotor of the machine with the permanent magnets mounted at its periphery on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 stator and of the rotor corresponding to the machine-shownfin Figure 1, and on an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is a plan view showing the is a front view of part of the groovesof the stator, as seen from thebottom side'of'" Figure .3. I Figures 5, 6, and 7 are respectivelyiplan views and .a front View, of a modified orm of construction corresponding to Figures 2 to 4, showing the-horseshoe magnets to be mounted in radial planes relatively .to the rotation axis, the pole shoes being arranged at an angle, wh1le the stator s provided with correspondingly inclined grooves.

and front views illustrating another modified form of constructionysh owing a differcnt manner of securing thepermanent mag nets upon the outer surface ofthe rotor.

Figures 10 and 11 are respectively sec Figures 8 and 9 are respectively sectional magnets and pole shoes corresponding to Fi ures 10 and 11. g

igure 13 is a front view of another mode fied form of construction and arrangement of the magnets upon the outer surface of.

In the drawings :1 is a rotary shaft,

preferably the motor shaft itself upon which a rotating disc 2, preferably the fly wheel of the internal combustion engine, is mounted, the said disc preferably consisting of material of magnetic conductivity, such for example as cast iron or cast steel. Upon the periphery of thedisc 2 permanent magnets 3 are arranged equidistant from each other, and are preferably formed by so-called horse shoe magnets. The like poles of adjacent magnets are connected to each other by pole shoes 4. This results, in the advantage that the magnets are mechanically connected to each other, and it also results in a magnetically advantageous structure, inasmuch as by means of the arrangement of such pole shoes each pair of two magnets is condensed into one pole, it being well known that magnets, in view of the magnetic compensation thereby obtained, will be prevented from losing their magnetism as readily as when employing the magnets separately. In the embodiment of this invention shown, by way of example in Figures 1.to 4

of the drawing the magnets 3 are mounted in inclined grooves 5 of the fly wheel 2. The inclination of the grooves 5 is such that the line of connection between two similar poles' of two succeeding magnets is parallel to the shaft 1, so that the pole shoes in this form 1 of the invention are parallel to the shaft 1.

As a result thereof the north poles and south poles respectively of two succeeding magnets are arranged on difterent sides of a plane through the center of the fly wheel rim and at right angle to the rotation axis (Figure 2). i 4

The form'of construction illustrated in Figures 5 to 7fis different from the construction first described, in having the magnets 3 mounted in planes vradially arranged with relation to the axis 1. The arrangement is otherwise the same, that is to say, the north poles and south poles alternate with each'other upon both sides of the fly wheel 2, and the poles of like character of two succeeding magnets are connected by pole shoes which, as indicated in Figure 6, are angularly arranged in this case.

In the modified forms of construction illustrated in Figures 8 to 15 the magnets are laterally arranged ufion the fly wheel rim in such a manner that part ofthe magnets .with a stator 8.

is magnetically short circ uited by the magnetic conductivity of the fly wheel. Besides the simplicity of mechanical coustruction this arrangement prcsents the advantage that the several magnets are prevented from being subject to alterations of their magnetism by strong magnetic vibrations. In the form of construction according to Figures 8 and 9 the horse shoe magnets 53 are secured to the rim of the fly wheel 2 by means of screws (5 and an inserted disc or washer 7. In this form of construction the pole shoes 4' are secured to the ends of each forked magnet, so'that in this modification there is no connection of the similar poles of succeeding magnets by means of, pole shoes. In the form of construction .according to Figures 10 to 12 the magnets 3 are mounted upon the periphery of the fly wheel in recesses of the same, and are retained in position by means of end-to-cnd bolts (3 and retaining discs 7. In the form of construction of Figure .12 magnets are arranged opposite to each other on both sides of the fly wheel tire, so that similar poles register with each other, and may be connected by pole shoes 4, exactly as shown with reference to the arrangement according to Figures 2-4-. This arrangement presents great advantages as regards the efficiency of the magnets, because, as is well known, a greater flow of magnetic flux is obtained by substituting two smaller magnets for one larger magnet. and coupling said magnets by a pole shoe.

The form of construction accordingto Figures 13 and 14 is differentiated from the construction of Figures 10 to 12 merely by Figure 15 each series of four magnets which are arranged in confronting pairs, are connected to each other by common pole shoes 4, by which means a still more favorable magnetic action is produced,

In a preferred form ofroustructiou the magnets are preferably arranged upon the periphery of the fly wheel of the engine for operating the vehicle, so as to dispense with a special supporting disc, andbecause this kind of arrangement may also'be applied in a great many cases to already existing fly wheels of engines. A

The rotor which is f u'med by the fly wheel 2 and the pern'iancnt magnets P) cooperates This stator is preferably segment shaped. so that it does not surrinnul the rotor on its entire periphery as isthe purposes of illumination and ignition; and

it is also particularly adapted for the constructionof a stator of low cost that is very.

efliciently journaled. While in machines as ordinarily constructed the sheet metal rings constitutim the stator have to be cut from large metal sheets which entails a very large tage of greateconomy of space so that itv loss of material, every metal sheet may be utilized to greatest advantage with the minimum of waste b making the stator of segment shape. urthermore, the segment shaped construction of the stator makes it ossible to control the size of the air gap )etween stator and rotor and to adjust .the same easily, and allows the employment of a very narrow air gap, as compared with the well known machines where it is not possible to go below a certain minimum size of air gap in view of the wear of journals and shaft. A segment shaped stator, however, may be adapted toany change of )osition of the rotor which results from wear, y suitable adjustn'ient.- The stator 8 illustrated in Figure 1 is, therefore, provided with longitudinal slots 9 through which screws 10 are passed for adjustably attaching the stator to its support. Then, the construction of the segment shaped stator presents the advanmay be easily mounted in existin vehicles in view of the small space requirec ing to the arrangement of the ma upon the periphery of the fly whee 2 the s so as to be The stator 8 is provided on its inner sin-=- face confronting the rotor with grooves 11 as is usual in which thewindings for the stator are secured, as shownat 12. Accordets .3

parallel to the pole shoes 4. The com ination of rotor and stator hereinbefore described constitutes an alternating current machine possessing neither slip rings nor collectors, nor any special exciting mechanism, and which upon the starting of the driving engine will immediately furnish the currentrequired for the operation 'of the lamps. and for the ignition of the engine.

The number of magnetsf'is preferably so adjusted tha't'the dynamo machine possesses medium frequency, that is to say, more than one hundred and less than ten thousand cycles, and for practical-working from 100 to 1000 cycles a second. -This arrangement hasthe advantage that the alternating current produced by the machine may easily be transformed upwards to the ignition volt age desired.

A very important feature of the novel illuminatin and igniting system resides, moreover, 1n the fact that'the stator winding isprovided with. a sufficiently high value of self-induction .as to keep the lamp current constant irrespective of variation of the number of revolutions. that, with a sufiiciently high self-inductor of the stator winding, the watt-tension. practically does not increase while the wattlcss tension is absorbed by the self-induction of the winding. Hence, with. a corres onding adjustn'ient of the electric values tie lamp tension remains constant in the most simple" -manner even upon a change 111 the number of revolutions, so that the lamps may be direct- 1y connected to the stator winding, without the necessity of inserting regulating devices It is well known or the like and'without any danger of burning out the lamps. The machine illustrated in Figure 1 therefore possesses the important feature, not admitting-of clear illustration in the drawing, that the coils '12 are provlded with an exceedingly large number of windings, that 'is to say with such an amount of windings as to be in excess of what is actually necessary for the generation of the required ,lamp tension, and which makes .it possibleto produce a self-induction sutlicient for keeping the lamps under a constant tension. By the proper selection of the inductive resistance as compared with the,ohmic resistance which latter is substantially represented by the incandescent lamps, it becomes possible to produce a nearly constant current and to obtain'constant tension at all changes in number of revolutions, without it being'necessary to resort to the insertion of a special throttling coil.

In accordance with Fi ure '1 it is intended, for example, to feed the current from the magneto-electric machine to two main reflector lamps. The stationary stator winding 12 is branched off at three points by conduits 13, 14, 15, the conduits 13 and 15 passing through the terminals 16 and 17 i to theprimary ,coils 18 and 19 of a transformer 48 for the generation of the high tension required for the ignition. Each refictor lamp is, therefore, combined with a dint of both lamps, when the lamps have been. cut into circuit, as shownin Figure 1.- The primary coils are connected by means of conduits 20, 21 to the terminals 22,23 of a rotary switch 24 the contacts 25, 26 of which by means of -the conduits 27, 28 are transformer coil which'isrin series with the corresponding section of the stator through the corresponding conduits 13 and 15 respectively, and the common return conconnected to the lamps 29, 30, which are grounded at E and which are to be employc-d as the reflectors of the vehicle: The

in the position shown in Figure l of the.

drawing has n9 further connection and is grounded at E., Upon the rotation of the armature 2 a current 1s generated 1n the windings 12 so that in the position of the switch appearing from Figure 1, two cir cuits are established, one passing from the branching point of the contluit 13 onthe winding 12, .the terminal lti, primary coil 1R, conduit 21, contacts 23, 31, 26 the con 'duit 28, the lamp 30, its earth connection E,

the earth connection 1*) of the conduit 14, and back to the stator through this conduit, while another circuit is formed through the conduit 15 from the other branching point' lit the winding-.12, through ihe terminal 17, the primary coil 19, the conduit" 20, con- .tacts 21, 31, 25, the conduit 27, lamp 29, an'd over the ground E back to the stator by way of the conduit 14. J t

It appears from these diagrams that by this means the reflect-or lamps 29, are completely independent of each other, so

i that one lamp -is not interfered with if the other lamp should' not operate.

If two' lamps were connected to the machine terminals in parallel, and one of'the lamps should refusecto properly operate, the other lamp would also burn out immediately in Viewof the change of the outerresistance, and the thereby resulting increase of watt-tension, and all the light would go out suddenly. This inoperativeness would also occur, if the lamps were in series connection inasmuch as in this, case the circuit is. interrupted when one'ot the lamps fails. By reason of the fact that each lamp is dir'ectly connected to.a portion ofthe stator winding by meanspf a. special conduit, so that the stator winding possesses branching points for taking off current which correspond to the number of lamps, it becomes possible to effect the cutting out of the lamps without special Y fusesfor the like or safety'devices;

By turning the switch 21through an angle of ninety degrees from. the position illustrated in Figure 1 ,thelamps 29 and'30 are grounded, and the previously independent primary coils 18*, 19 which werein series connection with the corresponding sections of the stator, are now grounded. The insertion of the primary coils ofthe transformer between stator and the lamps produces, moreover, the effect of contributing to the tension of the lamps being kept constant.

It is moreoyerof great advantage that the ci tting-outof the lamps 29 and 30 the prm'iarycoils of the transformer beautomatically switched to ground. It is obvious that with a. parallel connection the efficiency of the magneto-electric machine would become considerably reduced, lnasmuch as the transformer produces acomparatively large wattless load which acts unfavorably upon the potential difference of the machine. r In consequence of the said connection of the primary coils, when the internal combustion engine is started up, the immediate generationof the necessary igniting tension is, therefore, greatly facilitated.

The secondary coil 33 of the transformer 18 is grounded at one end, while the other end is connected by means of the conduit 3+1 to the rotary distributing lever 350i a distributor 36 the contacts 37 of which are connected in the usualmanner to the igniters 38 of the engine. This kind of arrangement becomes possible, because the magnetoelectric machine already possessesisuflicient energy upon the starting of the engine, and

because the combination with the high tension transformer furnishes immediately the tension required for ignition. The distributor maybe v,mounted directly upon the spar ing shaft 39 of the internal combustion em gine, inasmuch as the number of revolutions of the distributor must be the same as that of the sparking shaft. In view of this fact, a great simplification of construction is effected as compared with the usual standard igniting magnets where" the inductor ordinarily has a different number of revolutions than the sparking shaft, so that it is necessary to operate it by means of a corresponding transmission gear.

The details of the internal combustion engine are not shown in the drawings as they are not essential for the present invention. It will be sufficient to point out that the shaft 1 may for instance oonstitutethe shaft of the engine, and the shaft 39 the sparking shaft of the engine, and that the twoshafts may operate for examplewith the usual transmission ratio of"1:2.

The illuminating system diagrammatically indicated inFi'gure 1 is only adapted to provide current for the reflector lamps 29 and 30 when the driving machine is in operation. In' order to at least obtain light for ascertaining the positionwhen the engine is not running, a rectifier 43 is connected to the'terminals 16 and 17 through the conduits 40, 41, said rectifier converting the alternating current of the-dynamo machine into direct current, and being connected to a battery 12. The battery is grounded on one side while on'the other side itis connectedby means of a conduit 41 with a Switch 45, and then to the searching or position lights 46, 4'1 which are likewise grounded. If an electrolytic rectifier is usedthe same constitutes at the same'time a safety device which preyents the flowing back of current It may be pointed out in particular that the invention obviously also refersto a system in which the ignition is effected in the usual manner by means of aspecial igniting machine or where the arrangen'ienoof special conduits and ot the other instrumentalities for the searchinglights or has not been provided for.

hat I claim is 1. A system for ignition and illumination of motor driven vehicles, comprising, an

- alternating current generator driven by the vehicle motor and designed to supply medium frequency current at the cranking speed of the motor, reflector lamps, a rotary spark distributor, and a transformer having its primary winding connected both to the stator winding of the generator and to the reflector lamps, and its secondary winding connected to the rotary spark distributor, the transformer constituting the sole meansfor bringing the generator current up to ignition ten-' S1011. v a

2. In a system of the character described,

a magneto-electric machine having its perlphery provided with permanent magnets, a Wound stator, a connection grounding the stator, a plu' 'ality of reflector lamps, a spark distributor, a transformer having a plurality position lamps of primary coils, and a secondary coil, a (onnection between the spark distributor and thc secondary coil, conductors and the switch connecting the prlmary C01lS of the transformer and the reflector lamps and stator coils, the switch connecting the transformer prima ?y coils to ground when cutting the reflector lamps out of operation and connecting them in separate circuits when cutting the reflector lamps into operation, substantially as described. v

3. In a. system of the character described,

a magneto-electric machine, comprising, a rotor having its periphery provided with permanent magnets, and a wound stator having a plurality of separate sections, a spark distributor, reflector lamps, and a transformer, the primary windingof which comprises a plurality'of coils connected each with a section of the stator and also with a former beingronn'ected to the spark distributor, substantially as described.

4. In a system of the character described, a magneto-electric machine, comprising, a rotor having its periphery provided with permanentmagnets. and a wound stator having' a plurality of separate sections. a connection grounding the sections, a plurality of reflector lamps, a spark distributor, a transformer, the primary winding of which comprises a plurality of coils connected each with a section of the stator and with a reflector lamp and the secondary of which is connected to ,the% spark distributor, and a switch, for disconnecting the reflector lamps from the magneto-electric machine and grounding the primary coils of the transformer, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

KARL WOLFF. 

